First thing in the morning, he does his version of Downward Facing Dog, literally. And his tail wags. When he sits like the Sphinx, he wags his tail. When he stands at attention, there's that wagging tail again.

I wrote in this column last year about Reggie, our 7-year-old miniature poodle mix who we picked up six years ago from the Fox Valley Humane Association. I wrote last summer that we could learn something from a smart little dog who loves to go to church, to greet people and dance and pray.

If you want to read more about that, you can still find the column in the Advocate archives by searching for Dahl. Most of the results feature my singer-songwriter niece, Katie Dahl, but you will also see a thumbnail picture of Reggie and me and clicking it will take you to last July's column.

Today I tell a tale of a tail. I am amazed by Reggie's wagging tail. When he's awake, it's in almost constant motion. Once in a while, he tucks his tail between his legs, but always for a good reason and not for very long. I would guess many dog owners have the same experience, but it was news to me, and I remain amused and amazed by Reggie's tail.

I remember meeting Reggie for the first time. He was brought into a visitor's room for an introduction to our family, and his tail was going back and forth as fast as I might have imagined. And I've seen it move like that a thousand times since.

His tail wags when he meets a new person, and it really flies when he sees another dog. When I take him on a walk he is eager to say hello to a new friend, human or canine, and his tail tells that truth. If another dog snarls at Reggie, he just keeps wagging his tail and moves on, hoping for another friend around the next corner.

When he gets a drink or eats his food, his tail wags. When he knows he's getting a treat, the tail wags faster. When we play Get-the-Bone or Fetch-the-Ball, his tail wags constantly. When he prays – lying on his stomach with his head between his forelegs – his tail begins to wag after a few seconds. If I hurt him in some way, perhaps by stepping on a foot or bumping into him with something, there is quick yelp. But that's followed quickly by an upward gaze and a wagging tail, and all is forgiven.

I don't know why my dog wags his tail, but I imagine it has something to do with who he is, a contented, peaceful, excited, happy, friendly creature. Reggie wags his tail – a lot. There may be a lesson there for people who know the Lord Jesus.

If we put our trust in a Heavenly Father and make it our aim to follow Jesus Christ, believing His promises and taking Him at his word, we can be content and at peace. We can be excited for what each day brings and eager for the future. Even though life isn't perfect, we can be truly happy at heart. We can move toward strangers and be ready to make a new friend. When someone hurts us, we can choose to try to make things right and get back on track. And all of this can be done with a happily wagging tail, so to speak, because of who we are through the love of God and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sometimes shoulders droop and the tail is quiet. It never stays that way very long for my dog. And it shouldn't stay that way very long for anyone who looks to the Word of the Lord and to the Lord in His Word. Thank God for a wagging tail.

Cory Dahl is pastor of First Baptist Church of Sturgeon Bay. His e-mail is fbc@sturgeon-bay.com